No, these two huge cars are not at all meant for storming off-road terrain and mud baths. Their seven seats and length of over five meters are clearly not for routine everyday trips with cargo. And the powerful V8s here are not for racing or towing trolleybuses. Essentially, these are cars for those who are too lazy to use turn signals when changing lanes and who want to get everything at once in one body.
Of course, you could avoid the agony of choice and buy both cars. But those who aren't ready to shell out $290,000 for that will be weighing: take the Q7 4.2 for $124,368 or the GL450 for almost the same 127,175 euros? Mercedes, naturally, is more expensive, but it's also bigger. And its options list is longer — five A4 pages versus three and a half for the Audi. Meanwhile, the Q7 has neither seat ventilation, nor heated steering wheel, nor side support adjustment. And the third-row seats, imagine, have to be folded manually! But if you're satisfied with the "base" version of the Q7, which includes four-zone climate control, air suspension with adjustable ride height, a Bose audio system, and a rearview camera, then maybe you shouldn't overpay for the "luxuries" of the GL?
From the front, the Mercedes‑Benz GL looks like an elongated ML. In fact, that's almost exactly what it is.
And which of them looks more imposing? No sociological survey needed here. Everyone will decide for themselves: some will fancy the solid GL, while others will fall in love with the stylish Q7 at first sight. One could go on and on about what constitutes a true large SUV. But the fact remains: the Audi, despite its dimensions, seems like it was just pulled out of the Mercedes' trunk. And yet both make a strong impression.
The Audi Q7 is more fashionable and modern, and people yield to it almost as readily as to the Mercedes GL.
When I first climbed inside, I felt the urge to take off my shoes — it was that stately. Of course, there's no carved furniture or fireplace, but what's there is impressive. Both cars have leather, wood, and plenty of electronics. The GL450's interior looks richer (which, fittingly, matches its price) and cozier. True, after the Q7, its design seems like yesterday's news. Or timeless classic — depending on your taste. Audi, on the other hand, bets on modernity: the familiar-from-the-A6 interior, screens, the trendy MMI system (instead of the "first-generation" Comand in the GL), and the overall atmosphere create a feeling that this car is more technically advanced. Although the equipment here is actually more modest, and the materials, after the GL where even the jack seems leather-wrapped, no longer impress as much. The audio system doesn't play as cleanly, and if you turn it off, you can hear noises — the Audi's sound insulation is worse. But in this case, as they say, the best is the enemy of the good.
The interior is modern and trendy. Only the light upholstery, in my opinion, doesn't suit it very well — in black it looks much better.
Behind the wheel of either of these cars, traffic rules naturally become much more lenient. The priority changes from "yield to the obstacle on the right" to "let the black Mercedes pass" or "get away from the Q7." This works even when I'm the one yielding to someone — they don't rush to cut in front of me, fearing something amiss. And the rule "give way to the fool" transforms into "give way to the Mercedes" and works flawlessly.
Just like outside, inside the Mercedes‑Benz GL is an enlarged ML. But here the upholstery quality is better and the equipment is richer. And there's room for seven.
To get a slowpoke to yield the left lane to me, I don't need to waste energy flashing my headlights. I don't recall a speeding locomotive flashing its lights to hint at distracted tourists to clear the tracks. Need to change lanes? No need to use the turn signal at all. And why would you even need it here? Though, just for fun, you could try. So, I signal left — the left lane freezes; signal right — everyone on the right stands as if rooted to the spot. Ah, that's what it is! It's not a turn signal, but a remote control for neighboring cars! Press it — and you've paused the desired lane. There was one like that on the Mercedes-Benz E200, but in the Audi Q7, and especially in the GL450, it's clearly been refined. True, the Mercedes' turn signal sound isn't as "noble," but it works more effectively. It's a shame such an "option" isn't available on small cars. I wonder, if I turn on the hazard lights, will the whole traffic stop? I'll have to check.
But since we've started comparing power, let's move on to the engines. So, what can the owners of the Q7 and GL pit against each other? Both have V-shaped "eights," but the Audi's is more powerful — 350 hp versus 340 for the Mercedes-Benz. However, the latter has almost half a liter more displacement and 20 units more torque — 460 Nm versus 440. It would seem the advantage is on Audi's side, but that's not the case — in fact, the Q7 is lighter than the Mercedes. Unsurprisingly, the Audi takes off from a standstill like a scalded cat. I floor it — and the massive beast, gleaming with all four rings on the grille, leaps forward almost with wheelspin.
The Mercedes behaves differently. It, as befits a gentleman, does everything smoothly and without fuss. But not slowly — if the owners of these cars ever meet at an intersection and decide to find out who's faster, the spectacular start will be Audi's, but the victory, albeit by a small margin, will go to the Mercedes-Benz. But life isn't limited to traffic light drag races. For normal (and not so normal) driving, power is easier to manage in the Audi — the "automatic" doesn't dawdle with unnecessary delays, especially in sport mode. And rightly so — theatrical pauses during overtaking are completely unnecessary. I won't say anything bad about the Mercedes' gearbox, as it's tuned primarily for comfort, which is both a plus and a minus. In total, we get zero — a normal, Mercedes-like gearbox. That's the arithmetic.
As for handling, don't laugh — these two "cruisers" know how to not only scare other drivers but also turn. Behind the wheel, I feel like a driver of an ordinary passenger car (not a hired one!), so I'd recommend the especially forgetful to hang a sign in a visible place reading "I'm driving a five-meter SUV." This especially applies to the Audi — it has less body roll and sharper responses. The Mercedes' handling varies: by changing the shock absorber stiffness, you can turn it into a smooth lummox that "bows" to the asphalt during hard braking and raises its nose during acceleration, or make it a stiff but precise executor of commands. In the latter case, it will almost match the Q7, but small bumps will be noticeably felt in the backs of all passengers. On the other hand, the Audi transmits short asphalt waves more strongly. However, we have fewer of those than potholes, so in terms of comfort on asphalt, the Audi beats the Mercedes if the latter's shocks are in "sport" mode, and loses in all other positions.
And in extreme modes… No, let's not — what could be funnier than musing about which of these cars holds better in a controlled drift? Well, of course, comparing their off-road capabilities! The number of driven wheels is the same for both, but the GL's all-wheel drive is more advanced, at least from an off-road perspective. In other words, if the owners of the Q7 and GL decide to play "jeepers," the GL's low-range gear and rigid locks on the rear and center differentials will allow it to get stuck where the Q7 simply won't go. But it's unlikely the GL will ever find itself in such a situation — more likely, it, along with the Q7, will storm curbs and take snowy parking lots by storm. And even then, not often: those who buy such cars usually have a personal parking spot. In any case, the air suspension with adjustable ride height, which both have, will suffice for that.
To afford such a car, your employment record must list a position at the level of an "oligarch," and for refueling and maintenance, you'll need your own oil refinery. If you have neither, you'll have to part with your apartment, and your salary should be enough for fuel and insurance. But in return, you get the opportunity to drown in luxury and impeccable craftsmanship, catch the scorching glances of passersby, and use a car that handles anything—from transporting office furniture to long trips with family and friends. Those dreaming of an "all-powerful" car that still drives like a passenger car and doesn't cost insane money should take a closer look at the Audi Q7. And for those for whom "everything" is not enough and want "everything, but a bit more," the Mercedes-Benz GL is addressed.
Technical data
| Parameters | Audi Q7 4.2 quattro | Mercedes GL450 4-Matic |
| Number of cylinders / configuration | 8 / V-shaped | 8 / V-shaped |
| Displacement, cc | 4163 | 4663 |
| Power, hp at rpm | 350/6800 | 340/6000 |
| Torque, Nm at rpm | 440/3500 | 460/2700—5000 |
| Acceleration 0—100 km/h, s | 7.4 | 7.6 |
| Top speed, km/h | 248 | 235 |
| Wheels (base) | 8 J x 18 | 8.5 J x 19 |
| Tires (base) | 255/55 R 18 | 275/55 R19 |
| Fuel consumption (l/100 km): city/highway/average | 19.5/10.2/13.6 | 18.3/10.4/13.4 |
| Tank, l | 100 | 100+13 |
| Trunk, l | 775 | 300—2300 |
| Curb weight, kg | 2240 | 2355 (2430) |
| Gross weight, kg | 2895 | 3150 (3250) |
Test car equipment
| Equipment | Audi Q7 4.2 quattro | Mercedes GL450 4-Matic |
| Price | $124368 | €127175 |
| Front airbags | + | + |
| Side airbags front | + | + |
| Side airbags rear | + | + |
| Curtain airbags | + | + |
| Presafe system | + | - |
| ABS | + | + |
| Stability control | + | + |
| Adaptive suspension | + | + |
| Ride height adjustment | + | + |
| Power steering | + | + |
| Power-adjustable steering column | + | + |
| Heated steering wheel | - | + |
| Multifunction steering wheel | + | + |
| Leather-wrapped steering wheel | + | + |
| Central locking with keyless entry | + | + |
| Alarm with immobilizer | + | + |
| Power and heated mirrors | + | + |
| Auto-folding mirrors | + | + |
| Power windows with auto mode | + | + |
| Power front seats | + | + |
| Side bolster adjustment | - | + |
| Cushion length adjustment | + | - |
| Seat memory | - | + |
| Heated front seats | + | + |
| Heated rear seats | - | + |
| Ventilated front seats | - | + |
| Power tailgate | + | + |
| Rain sensor | + | + |
| Light sensor | + | + |
| Auto-dimming rearview mirror | + | + |
| Rearview camera | + | + |
| Three-zone climate control | - | + |
| Four-zone climate control | + | - |
| Power third row | - | + |
| Cruise control | + | + |
| Two sunroofs | - | + |
| Running boards | - | + |
| CD changer | + | + |
| DVD | - | + |
| Navigation | - | + |
| Monitors in headrests for rear passengers | - | + |
| Leather interior | + | + |
| Wood trim | + | + |
| Fog lights | + | + |
| Swiveling bi-xenon headlights | + | + |
| Parking sensors front and rear | + | + |
| Headlight washers | + | + |
| Hill descent control | - | + |
Cars for the test were provided by
Audi of Russia company,
ZAO "DaimlerChrysler Automobiles RUS".
Behind the scenes
